If you were going to a show for an act named Pretty Lights, what would you expect? Would it be a low-key acoustic set at your local Starbucks? Would it be a jazz trio playing the historic nightclub down the street? Or how about a lone piano player on the veranda of a high class Spanish Restaurant? Well, no. Actually, it’s neo-rave beats, bass, and one of the most killer light shows out there.
This past Saturday I traveled to Little Rock to see the one man hip-hop beat phenom rock the stage and stadium. Backed by Big Gigantic, Witnesse, and DJ Tyler Durden, their were plenty of reasons more than just the ‘Lights to come out. The event was themed around everyone’s favorite October holiday, so people showed up in droves dressed to the 9’s as their favorite Ninja Turtle, Justice League alum, or slutty version of (insert any profession here).
The show was held in Little Rock’s biggest venue, The Verizon Arena. Although it felt awkward to go to a “rave” surrounded by adverts for the Razorbacks or upcoming country shows, the vibe of the people and the support of the ridiculous sound system tended to take you out of the locale and project your mind somewhere around planet “Bass” in the solar system of “Get Crunk.”
Opening act Tyler Durden kicked the night off. A little Rock native, he was able to get the crowd hype with his unique style of off-kilter wobble dubstep. His set ranged from highly referential to modern originals. Remixes of Led Zeppelin juxtaposed with his own brand of dirty bass held the set and got ears prepped for Big G.
Then it was time for Witnesse from dear ole Memphis to light up the spot. The mix-master started things off right with plenty of glitch backed by massive amounts of low-end. Running through tracks by the likes of Lazer Sword and holding his tempo home-base between the 70-90 range, the swagger of his mix chatter got the crowd pumped as they crowded the stage.
If you’re into the neo-dance scene at all, Big Gigantic is a name you’ve probably heard bounced around quite a bit over the past 6 months or so. They bring modern beats and arrangement and place them side by side with… err… saxaphone solos? Oh, and a spoiler alert: IT’S AWESOME. It’s no wonder they’ve been winning crowds over all across the nation with their mix of live drumming backed by a dj set of sorts which ranged from traditional dubstep to the even dropping new outside heat like Kanye West and Jay-Z’s “Niggas in Paris.”
The evening worked like a several tiered cake. Somehow, the deliciousness of each tier was exponential, so by the time Pretty Lights came to stage I was overtly hungry and intent on sinking my teeth into some tasty beats. He didn’t disappoint. Starting the show in a pitch black setting, he quickly turned up the juice and showed why he calls himself “Pretty Lights” by the first drop. The visual overload of all different colors and patterns filled every niche and cranny of the gigantic arena. The overwhelming sensation made for the eyes that complimented his beats impacted the audience as early as his first beat and they gladly displayed appreciation with fervent screams and cheers.
People pumped their hands towards the ceiling moving up on the 1 then slamming towards the stage on the 3 of every track. Running through bits of his entire catalog, he rocked it hard on his newer dubstep while still showing love to his more traditionally hip-hop based roots. Closing his set on the ladder, those in the know sang along to vocal samples as the bass crashed against eardrums under his very verbal appreciation for everyone’s attendance.
If anyone ever offers you the ability to go to a Halloween-based rave, here’s some advice—DROP EVERYTHING ELSE AND GO. Seriously. The addition of costumes put everyone in a good mood and I had a great time seeing Where’s Waldo (or about seven of them) getting crunk to baller beats. The atmosphere was as hype as the track-listing and although I could have wished for a more home-grown venue, the acts involved worked in tandem with the crowd to make the best of what was given and make this past Saturday one of the most memorable shows of recent history.
